ELECTIONS & CORRUPTION

Eradication of Corruption is the one thing that is bothering the minds of every one in the country. Corruptions by Politicians, Corruptions by High Government Officials and Corruption at the Lower levels And corruption at all places, is eating at the very roots of Democracy. Congressmen prior to Independence were known for their honesty and Integrity. But to-day it is no more so.2. The route cause for corruption at Political Level can be easily attributed to the present concept of Elections. Any candidate has to spend good lot of money to contest the elections. Paper Reports suggest that even for Punchayath Elections crores of Rupees are spent. What about Elections for Assembly and Parliament? It is commonsense that, after spending so much, they cannot be content with the pittance of Salary or Allowances they get nor can they make up the huge sums spent by any lawful methods. They have to not only get back the amount spent but also some compensation for the risk taken. The next choice to make up for the election Expenses would be to resort to Corruption. Now it is not limited to making up the lost amount as Election Expenses but also to build up for the future and for the progeny. Of course, making provisions for the family is a natural Corollary. So it is not possible for them to fix any upper limit
3. How to make money? Indian intelligence excels all others in this field. Some MLA’s & M.P’s collect regular Hafta from Government Officials in their Constituency. The Official who pays, Tahasildar, D.C. or Police Officer, R.T.O, Sub-Registrar, cannot pay from his purse and has to make up this money through Corruption. Tahasildars fix targets for collection to Village Accountants, Revenue Inspectors Etc., Sub-Registrar’s Office and Sales Tax Office, Customs, R.T.O Offices are nothing but dens of Corruption. The list can go on. Another and more important source is contractors. Contracts are not approved or their Bills are not passed with out greasing the Palms of Officials. While tendering they not only take all these expenses into consideration while tendering, but most of the time, they do substandard work. All the Persons

have the protection from their Bosses and Ministers. There is an Anti Corruption {Lok-Ayuktha} Department. They can only touch a fringe of the Corrupt. They can harass a less intelligent and less clever, Official or person in power, who does not how to do things without being caught. Some times, a Government Official Like a Doctor, or a Clerk who accepts a Bribe of Rs. 20/- is caught and harassed for decades,while Big fish make merry.4. Now there appears to be competition among Politicians to propagate some present Ministers as Corrupt and present themselves as most Honest. A Secret Survey should be conducted of all the Politicians as to how much money and Property they have amassed illegally during their tenure. They are paupers when they first enter Politics. But within a short time, they make Crores. Can they honestly account for every pie they have. Even for the declared amount during filing of Nomination, they will not be able to account. I do not know how tax authorities accept their returns. I understand that in some Countries there is no Corruption at the lower level and the ruling Party, which ever it is, collects the amount needed by them from Big Contractors and the latter in turn makes up the amount by Jacking up the Tender amount. They are certainly better than us in a way. It is most unfortunate, there are open allegations against Military & Judiciary also these days. I think we have reached the summit.5. Is it at all possible to Eradicate this evil? I think the Answer is big NO if we continue the Present System of Elections and Governance. One of the ways to reduce Corruption is to fix time limit for every Task and if an authority does not give proper disposal, deal with him sternly. Impose fines and penalties Register all complaints and give proper disposal. It is not happening now. Proper disposal to every complaint is a must and the guilty should be severely punished. This can reduce the Corruption to some extent6. To my mind, a simple solutions appears to eradicate corruption at the Political Level. It may look utopian, impossible of implementation, absurd, it cannot work etc., One may say. In a country where more people are illiterate ignorant, and people vote for a bottle of drink and so on, even with the best of intentions and the best of Electoral practice the best of candidates are not being elected. So Even if still worse people are elected, in the new system I suggest, it is still worth giving a Trial.
7. My Simple suggestion is, Abolish all types of advertising, pamphlets, canvassing, distribution, canvassing through Loud speakers, going to houses begging for votes, distribution of freebees like Sarees, Money, Liquor Etc. Make All Medias, News Papers, Radio, T.V. both private and Public Compulsory for say, 20 days to Publish the manifestos, Promises, etc., of Political Parties and Politicians what they are and what they propose to do, say 20 t0 30% of their
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resources for Election Purposes once in 5 years. Allow Each Party to address Public at Specified places and specified time arranged and organized by Election Commission. This can be done by giving weightage to the Past performance of each party in their previous Elections. Make any other form of
canvassing an Offence and disqualification.
Now we have Internet Etc., where Parties and Politicians can post/boast their achievements and what all boons they are going to shower on their subjects. It is free and accessible by all and even by Villagers.

8. In my humble opinion suggestions like state funding Elections and the like are most foolish and criminal waste already scarce resources and should never be allowed to be practiced.
9. If MY system is introduced, intellectuals, and honest and Poor and otherwise deserving people can enter Election Arena. I am sure such representatives can afford to be honest and they will certainly do better Job. Even if they don’t do, a strict and honest government can eradicate CORRUPTION with an iron hand. If this happens our country can raise to Wuthering heights much earlier than our dear Kalam expects. Comments are most welcome.
CSP RAO.
Originally Posted by PUTTU RAO CS earlier and reposted .

LAND ACQUISITIONS; stop shedding crocodile tears.

The Law empowers state to Acquire lands for various Public purposes after giving Compensation at the Market Value prevailing on the date of Acquisition. Hardly the land lord gets Market prices. He gets far far less than the real Market Price. The reasons are many. Firstly, our Over enthusiastic Land Acquisition Officers (LAO’s) fixes a very low price presuming that they are doing a great favour to the Government by doing so. Secondly while fixing the Market Value they verify the Sale of lands that has taken place in the Vicinity of the Land that is Acquired at the Sub Registrar’s Office. Here again the Records of this Office is a fiction. Either land is registered for a lesser value to avoid stamp duty, many tines purposely done by bribing the Sub-Registrar in some places and in some other places there might not have a sale taken place. They face difficulty in arriving at the Market Price. Whatever may be the reasons, our farmer gets a raw deal. He can go on Appeal, but it takes lot of time and money and labour. Some times by the time the case is finally decided it will be some decades. If there are some inter-se disputes among the claimants, God only must help. The law provides for interest from the date of compensation, till the date of payment at SIMPLE RATE OF INTEREST AND NOT COMPOUND RATE OF INTEREST, WHY?
GIVE COMPOUND RATE OF INTEREST
It is most important that Land Owner is given Compound rate of Interest on the Compensation amount.
2. The farmer is certainly entitled to Compound rate of interest. It compensation had been deposited in a Nationalised Bank, or at any other place at best rate of interest, it would have certainly earned Compound Interest. Why deprive farmer of this benefit. What is the reason? Is there any point reason rhyme?. The farmer pays compound rate of the moneys borrowed by him, and he gets simple rate of interest when it comes to getting compensation. Some how this great anomaly has not got the attention of our Politicians. I feel our politicians are interested only in Acquisitions, such as in Kheni’s case or some other Acquisitions around Bangalore where the farmer gets hefty Compensation. I know in Devanahalli Area, when lands were acquired a farmer got in the first instance Rs. 5,00,000/- per Acre for his 10 Acres of dry and barren land. He got fifty lacs which would fetch an annual interest of Rs.5 lacs per annum if properly invested. In the same dry lands he would not have got more than six quintals of Ragi per acre with much difficulty or/and un-certainty. The value of the produce would not have reached Rs. One thousand per acre after all expenses. Now with the amount he got as compensation, he buys two cars paying 6 lacs, builds a beautiful Bungalow spending 14 lacs and still left with Rs.30 lacs, which if he is wise can invest in buying lands to make up the lands he has lost, at some other place where he may be able get lands at much cheaper rate.. I think it is about this type of land losers our Politicians are making a hue and cry. They are not bothered about the real farmer who is uprooted from the habitat, he was accustomed to living and made to go from pillar to post for the pittance of Compensation that he is offered. It takes a long time from the day of his losing the land to the date of his seeing compensation amount. In the interregnum he is left high and dry. He has to live on borrowed money. On the Very day of Final Notification, the Government must deposit the Compensation amount in Fixed Deposit at best rate of interest or in the alternative pay the same rate of interest at the time of disbursing compensation. I have to reiterate, that the Bank pays interest compounded monthly or quarterly and the Government also pay likewise. The difference between simple and Compound rate is huge. In my own case it took 28 long years to get the compensation, which was about three and half lacs at Simple interest. If it had been at Compound rate (at 10%), I would have got about 28 lacs, a difference of 24 lacs! Some how Courts are averse to granting Compound rate, . which is in no way reasonable or fair. Our Law makers have some how not given a thought to it.. It is time by legislation this anomaly is set right and it goes a long way ameliorating loss the farmer suffers.. Even an Ordinance would be worth it.
3. There are opinions that entrepreneurs must themselves buy land required by them from farmers direct by giving market price. It can never work. Has it tried any where with success? Our Industries will suffer and we will be putting the clock back. GOVERNMENTS ALONE SHOULD ACQUIRE WITHOUT BIAS, AND WITHOUT ANY ILL WILL THE BEST LAND NEEDED FOR THE PURPOSE AND COMPENSATE THE FARMER PROPERLY AND A LITTLE GENEROUSLY.

4. Our Annadhatha is in a very pitiable condition to-day. On the one hand the cost of inputs is steadily going up. There is scarcity of Chemical manures. Agricultural Labour has become costly and scarce and not available at the time it is most needed. Literacy has added to this problem. A person who has completed even his Primary Education, feels it below dignity to work as a farm labourer. ( I am not advocating literacy is bad or the labourer should ever remain labourer. For an Agricultural labourer Education is the only hope which can lift him from extreme poverty.). Due to vagaries of nature the farmer is not sure of the crop. Rains at the in-opportune moment or no rains when needed most may spoil the prospectus of a good crop. The market is very erratic Middle men exploit the situation and the farmer is denied of fair return even when the rates are high. No doubt the Government is doing its best but the needs are enormous and beyond the capacity of Government. For Banks Agricultural credit is a big burden especially financing small loans and co-operative credit is almost a failure or leaves much to be desired.. Inefficiency at the Co-operative level, Misapplication or Misuse of loans taken by the farmers adds to vows. A new direction is needed and unless Agriculture improves, any development will be lop sided and does not augur well for the nation. India can never be called as a developed Nation unless our Agriculture improves.
CSP RAO..

KUDOS TO ANNA HAZARE

Dear Annaji,Kudos to you. We are all with you Annaji. Please do not give up your cause, come what may.Please give up your fast because your life is too precious to us. Fast is not the only method available. We shall resort to so many other peaceful methods.Coming to Jokepal Bill or Lokpal Bill, Janlokpal bill, I am sorry to say, ( WITH DUE RESPECT TO ALL CONCERNED) that I do not think that either your proposal or the intended LOKPAL BILL will ever ensure a corruption free State. At best your both bills may enable the LOKPAL to put behind bars a microscopic fraction of few corrupt people. The Enactment will miserably fail. It will be an exercise in futility. I am convinced that keeping the present system of Elections, Corruption can never be controlled or eradicated. After spending crores of rupees for Elections, politician, can afford to keep quite without trying to find his lost money. They have to/they will find out some loophole and recover their lost money with interest and Profit. After a great deal of thinking and study, some new Ideas have occurred to my mind which I want to share with all concerned. MY SUGGESTION; ABOLISH ALL TYPES OF PRESENT CANVASSING. MAKE ANY OTHER TYPE OF CANVASSING AN OFFENCE AND DISQUALIFICATION. ONLY THE GIVEN BELOW APPROVED METHODS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED FOR CANVASSING IN ELECTIONS. METHOD; FIRST AMEND ALL THE NECESSARY STATUTES. EVERY TYPE OF MEDIA, RADIO, T.V. NEWSPAPERS, WHETHER GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE OWNED SHOULD BE MADE TO SET APART SAY FOR, 15 DAYS, THEIR 30% OF THEIR SPACE AND TIME FOR CANVASSING ON BEHALF OF PARTIES AND INDIVIDUALS. THERE SHOULD BE REASONABLE RESTRICTIONS ON THE AMOUNT OF WORDS THEY CAN USE, FOR MANIFESTOS, FOR WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO IF ELECTED, WHAT THEIR PREVIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS ARE, AND THEIR BIO-DATA. MEDIA HAVE TO FORGET THEIR VOLITION TOWARDS PARTICULAR ISMS OR PARTIES OR IDEOLOGIES DURING THIS PERIOD. THEY SHOULD PUBLISH ONLY WHAT IS PERMITTED. NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. INTERNET IS THERE WHICH WILL NOT COST ANYTHING. PARTIES AND INDIVIDUALS CAN USE INTERNETS FOR CANVASSING ETC.,. THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN BLOGS. I THINK POLITICIANS SHOULD BE FREE TO INDULGE IN MUDSLINGING BUSINESS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER (WITHOUT WHICH THEY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE) WITHOUT ANY LIMIT OR HINDRANCE! CANDIDATES CAN ADDRESS PUBLIC MEETINGS ARRANGED AT PARTICULAR SPECIFIED PLACES TURN BY TURN, THE TURN OF EACH PARTY BEING DECIDED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE IN THE PREVIOUS ELECTIONS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO FREEBIES LIKE SARREES, DHOTHIES, ALCHOHOL, MONEY OR THE LIKE.
THIS METHOD IS INTENDED AS A SHORT TERM MEASURE ONLY AND THE POSITION CAN BE REVIEWED AFTER SAY 50 0R 100 YEARS. This type of elections are conducted in Rotary, Bar Associations, Chartered Accountants Institution ETC., They are working well.If my above suggestions are accepted and introduced, there will not be much need for huge election Expenses. It helps to enable honest, deserving, and capable individuals to contest and occupy Power. I am not unaware that there will be some, opposition, some problems, some difficulties, etc. We have to overcome by prudent management. No system can ever be foolproof. Even the present system is not free from defects. Is it fool proof? Even with the so called best, universally accepted present system, unfortunately, the type of candidates elected in this Country, needs much to be desired. Such being the case there should be no hesitation to accept this suggestion and give a trial. I feel any opposition to my proposal, appears to be ill founded. If clarifications are needed, It costs nothing and buys everything presently needed. Clarifications are needed, I will try to give to the best of my ability. Better Brains can help in this regard. I also request you to please refer to my BlOG also in this regard. at putturaocs.blogspot.com, where I want to publish this letter also with some corrections. Suggestions and Criticisms are always welcome. Mr. PM if you cant do anything, at lest Say GOOD-BYE to Annaji. With lot of hard feelings. CSP RAO..